6 Ab and Oblique Workout to Develop Strong Core.

The abs, also known as the rectus abdominis, are a muscle group located in the front of the abdomen. They are primarily responsible for flexing the spine and are often associated with the “six-pack” look. The obliques, on the other hand, are located on the sides of the abdomen and are responsible for the rotation and side-bending movements.

A strong core, which includes both the abs and obliques, is important for overall health and fitness. A strong core can help to improve posture, balance, and stability, as well as reduce the risk of injury. Incorporating exercises that target both the abs and obliques into your workout routine can help to build muscle and burn fat, leading to a stronger, more toned core.

Check out the below exercises to work your abs and obliques at the same time. These moves will help build muscle and burn fat. If you’re tired of the same old ab routine, it’s time to switch things up and try new abs workout exercises.

1. Bicycle Crunch

The Bicycle crunch exercise helps you to burn stubborn belly fat while benefiting you in maintaining a good posture. The main muscles worked in the bicycle crunch are the rectus abdominus, hips, and obliques. The legs raise from the ground to target your lower abs and the rotation activates your oblique muscles. The last, pedaling your legs stimulates the hips.

How to do Bicycle Crunch?

1. Lie on your back on the floor and bend your knees while keeping your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place both hands behind your head, with interlacing fingers grip. Keep elbows wide and gently cradle your head in your hands.
3. Bring your knees up, with shins parallel to the floor, and lift your shoulder blades off the floor.
4. As you straighten your left leg out at about a 45-degree angle, turn your upper body to the right, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.
5. Return to the center with both knees bent and elbows wide.
6. Repeat on the other side: Straighten the right leg to a 45-degree angle and turn your upper body to the left, bringing the right elbow toward the left knees.
7. Return to the starting position and this is your 1 rep.
8. Do it again and again until completed 15-25 reps a set.

Sets and Reps: Do 3 sets of 25-16 reps.

2. Cross Crunch

Cross crunches are a bodyweight ab exercise that helps build core muscles and tone your oblique muscles.

How to do Cross Crunch?

To do them, place your hands in front of your head and lift the upper portion of your torso using only your stomach muscles and first rotate it to your left side and then back to earth. Then again up and rotate your torso to the right side and then back to earth. This is 1 repetition.

4 sets of 12-16 reps.

3. Modified V-sit

The V-sit is an effective way to target the rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and hip flexors while improving core and trunk balance also.

How to do Modified V-Sit?

1. Lie down back on the mat straight.
2. Contract your abdominal muscles and core. Lift your legs up to an extended position at a 45-degree angle with your torso.
3. Reach your arms as straight forward or toward your shins as possible you can. It’s important to maintain good core posture and a strong spine throughout the movement and to avoid rounding the shoulders forward. Don’t hold your breath.
4. Hold this V-shaped position for several seconds to begin. As you get stronger, hold the position longer.
5. Return to your starting position slowly while continuing to keep your abs engaged and tight.
6. Just before you reach the floor, stop and hold the position for a few seconds.
7. Repeat this entire movement several times.

Sets: 3 sets of 16-10 reps.

4. Hanging Leg Raise

Hanging leg raises will elevate your workout if the goal is to improve core strength, hip flexor mobility, and shoulder stability. Start off with a modification such as a reverse crunch, to master core control before building up to the grip bar in next to no time.

How to do Hanging Leg raise?

1. Grasp a bar overhand grip with your thumb around the bar to improve stability.
2. Tilt your pelvis slightly backward. Engage your abdominals and hip flexors to lift your feet off the ground by raising your legs outward in front of you, keeping them straight. Exhale while lifting the legs. Feel the abdominal muscles working hard as you do this.
3. Raise your legs to the level you are able to do with good form. Aim to raise them parallel to the ground (hip bent 90 degrees) or a little higher.
4. Slowly lower your legs back down to vertical, inhaling. Maintain the posterior pelvic tilt even at the bottom of the movement.
5. Do 10 repetitions in a set – or as many as you can manage. Try to do 30 repetitions in the total game.

5. Seated Russian Twist

Russian Twist is the best exercise for obliques, rectus abdominous, transverse, and erector spine. Twist helps to build your oblique muscles and is best for losing the fat from your stomach.

How to do Russian Twist?

1. Lie on your back on the mat and lift your feet from the floor, keeping your knees bent.
2. Raise your upper body off your shoulders from the ground by elongating and straightening your spine at a 45-degree angle from the floor, creating a V shape with your torso and thighs.
3. Reach your arms straight out in front, interlacing your fingers, or clasp your hands together.
4. Use your abdominals to twist to the right, then back to the center, and then to the left.
5. This is 1 repetition. Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions.

6. Crossbody mountain climber

The Cross-body mountain climber is a core-strengthening exercise that targets the entire abdominal region. The Cross-body movement more actively engages the obliques and hip flexes. The exercise also improves upper body strength and stability in the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

How to do a Cross-body mountain?

1. Get into a plank position, making sure to distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your toes.
2. Check your form – your hands should be about shoulder-width apart, back flat, abs engaged, and head in alignment.
3. Pull your right knee toward your left elbow as far as you.
4. Switch the other leg toward the right elbow, pulling one knee out and bringing the other knee in.
5. Keep your hips down, and run your knees in and out as far and as fast as you can. Alternate inhaling and exhaling with each leg change.

FAQs

Is it OK if I do abs everyday?

It is generally not recommended to do abs exercises every day, as the muscles of the core, including the abs, need time to recover and repair between workouts. Overworking these muscles can lead to injury and impede progress.

It’s better to aim for 2-3 days a week of ab-specific exercises, and make sure to also incorporate other exercises that engage the core, such as compound movements like squats and deadlifts, as well as stability exercises like planks.

Additionally, keep in mind that having strong abs alone does not guarantee a “six-pack” appearance, as this is largely dependent on body fat percentage.

Does running give you abs?

Running can help to strengthen the muscles of the core, including the abs, but it is not the most effective exercise for specifically targeting the abs.

Running primarily works the lower body muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. However, it can also engage the core muscles as they work to stabilize the body during the movement.

In order to specifically target the abs, it is recommended to include exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, leg raises and planks into your workout routine.

Do obliques make your waist smaller?

Oblique exercises can make your waist wider. If you build muscle mass in the obliques, they can develop a wide, square appearance. Adjust your exercise routine if you want to keep a slim waist while still maintaining a strong core.

What exercise gives you a small waist?

The side plank with hip lifts is a great exercise for your obliques. It helps to build endurance and core strength, as well as work the deep abdominal muscles. This exercise is great for shrinking your waistline and helps give you a tighter stomach.

What foods help slim your waist?

Fill your slim waist diet with foods such as:

• Fruits: berries, apples, bananas, oranges, pears.
• Vegetables: leafy greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots.
• Whole grains: whole-wheat bread, quinoa, oats, brown rice.
• Lean protein: poultry, fish, lean red meat, legumes.
• Low-fat dairy: low-fat or nonfat milk or yogurt.

What is ab stimulator belt?

An ab stimulator machine is a device that uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to contract the muscles of the abdomen. The machine typically consists of a control unit and one or more pads that are placed on the skin, over the muscle group being targeted.

The electrical impulses generated by the machine mimic the signals sent by the brain to the muscles, causing them to contract. These contractions are intended to help tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles, similar to doing traditional exercise.